Super Bowl XVI Highlights

The 1981 season began with a "gold strike" of fresh talent
that included rookies who earned instant starting assignments -- cornerbacks
Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright and safety Carlton Williamson.

"We were fortunate to have George Seifert as our backfield coach,"
Lott has said. "George was a no-nonsense kind of coach. He really got
the most out of us. He might have pushed us when we didn't want to be pushed,
but I have to attribute a lot of our success that year to him."

The new talent helped transform the Niners from a 6-10 team in 1980 into
a 13-3 team in 1981, when they compiled the best record in the NFL and earned
their first Super Bowl berth.

Super Bowl XVI is memorable for a third-quarter goal-line stand, but
the 49ers' defense kept the Bengals out of the end zone at other key times
during each quarter:

The 49ers fumbled the opening kickoff, giving the Bengals the ball on
the 49ers' 26 yard line. The Bengals advanced and had a second-and-goal
from the 5. But Ken Anderson was sacked, and on the third-and-11 play, Dwight
Hicks intercepted the ball. The 49ers converted the turnover into a touchdown.

The second quarter also opened with a Bengals drive, but Eric Wright
tackled and stripped Cris Collinsworth of the football, which the 49ers
recovered at their own 8. They marched 92 yards for another touchdown.

The 49ers' famous goal-line stand unfolded in the third quarter like
this: On first and goal from the three, 249-pound fullback Pete Johnson
barreled straight ahead for two yards. On second down, he tried going over
left guard, but was stopped for no gain. On third down, Ken Anderson passed
to Charles Alexander in the right flat, but linebacker Dan Bunz grabbed
Alexander before he could reach the goal line and hurled him backward. On
fourth down, the Bengals tried running Pete Johnson again, but the 49ers
stopped him.

In the fourth quarter, with the score 23-14 and 5:25 remaining, the Bengals
had the ball, but Eric Wright intercepted a Ken Anderson pass and returned
it to the Cincinnati 22.